1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to the art of electrical connectors and, more particularly to an electrical connector having positioning mechanism.
2. Background of the Invention
Integrated circuit (IC) packages are generally classified as pin grid array (PGA) packages, ball grid array (BGA) packages and land grid array (LGA) packages depending on shape of the conductive elements.
Electrical connectors for removably connecting an IC package and a substrate, such as a printed circuit board (PCB), are correspondingly defined as PGA connectors, BGA connectors and LGA connectors.
An electrical connector typically includes an insulative housing defining a plurality of passages and a plurality of terminals residing in the corresponding passages, respectively. In use, conductive elements of the IC package, i.e. pins of the PGA package or soldering pads of the BGA package or conductive pads of the LGA package, are brought to contact with the corresponding terminals and, therefore, electrical connection between the IC package and the electrical connector is established.
To ensure performance of the electrical connector, the conductive elements of the IC package should be properly registered with the terminals. However, in use, the IC package may be difficult to be accurately positioned on the electrical connector and, therefore, the conductive elements of the IC package are likely to be displaced with respect to the corresponding terminals. As a consequence, it is possible that electrical connection between the IC package and the electrical connector may be adversely affected.
Therefore, there is a heretofore unaddressed need in the industry to address the aforementioned deficiencies and inadequacies.